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GhostFingers · NorCal Bay Area · Pacifica

Pacifica Pier

Sand beachbreak either side of the municipal pier at Sharp Park in Pacifica. The pier pilings hold a sandbar that shifts through the season.

Pacifica Famous + beginner-friendly

Spot intel

Parking

Free street parking along Beach Boulevard and a public lot at the pier.

Crowd

Moderate. Mixed ability, and the peaks spread either side of the pier.

Beginner-friendly?

Depends.

A sandbar on a small day, but the beach carries rip currents, cold water year-round, and pier pilings that are an immediate hazard on a wave that closes toward them.

Famous for

The Sharp Park pier break in Pacifica, the most visible surf spot on the San Mateo coast from Highway 1.

Lineup etiquette

Beachbreak priority is per-wave. Give the pier pilings a wide margin regardless of who has the wave.

When it’s on

West through northwest swell with light offshore wind from the east through northeast. Mid tide window.

When beginners can paddle out

Small clean swell under about waist high, light wind, mid tide, and well clear of the pier structure.

Where it breaks

Coordinates
37.6280, -122.4950
Shore faces
WSW
Region
Pacifica, California

Common questions

What swell direction is best for Pacifica Pier?
Pacifica Pier works best on a WSW to NW swell.
How big does Pacifica Pier need to be?
Pacifica Pier is best in the 2-6ft range on a 9-15s period.
What are the best conditions at Pacifica Pier?
Light or offshore wind under about 8 knots, with the tide around 1-4ft.
Where is Pacifica Pier?
Pacifica Pier is a pier-sandbar beach in Pacifica, California. The beach faces WSW.
Does GhostFingers forecast Pacifica Pier?
Yes. GhostFingers grades Pacifica Pier with a six-tier verdict from swell height, period, direction, tide, and wind. iPhone, winter 2026.

New to reading a forecast? Start here.

Launching winter 2026.

Six-tier verdicts for every California break, calibrated to swell, period, direction, tide, and wind.

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